A senior game creator has told industry figures that Japanese gamers can now be divided into a “game elite” and “light gamers.”

The types were identified by veteran game designer Masanobu Endo, known for such titles as Druaga (both game and anime) and director of “Game Studio” and the “Digital Games Research Association Japan,” in a presentation he made to audiences at the recent CEDEC 2010.

Game Elite

Tendency

Light Gamer

Enjoys strategising themselves

Strategy

Likes reading hint books whilst playing

Likes to clear games quickly

Time

Doesn’t like to play under time constraints

Likes to play at their own pace

Time

Doesn’t want to spend too much time on each game

Likes sophisticated controls

Control

Complex controls = boring

Buys on release day

Purchase

Buys when free to do so

Game magazines

Info

Friends

Discount stores or Amazon

Budget

Buys normally if they can’t get it for free

Excitedly waits through loading

Loading

Long load = off

Likes games (also anime and comics)

Interests

Interested in games amongst other things

Must play to be satisfied

Play

Satisfied just to watch others play

Virtual

Love

Real

Game Elite:

Has played eighties games
Remembers pleasures of pixel perfect control
Likes high risk/high return trade offs
If a PC gamer, likes FPS and RTS, also MMO
Prefers Xbox 360 for consoles
Prefers PSP for handhelds
Often single
Lacks endurance for Wii sports games

Light Gamer:

May be female
Often young
Has little time for games
Email is more important to them than games
Won’t install

Or in summary, Japanese gamers can be divided in fat creepy Xbox-owning otaku busily humping their pillows, and everyone else.

Japanese gamers overall are said increasingly to fall into the light gamer category, possibly spelling doom for games not published on mobile phones, browsers or the Wii.

Game Elite:
THATS ME!
Has played eighties games
WE ALL LOVE EM!
Remembers pleasures of pixel perfect control
WHO DONT?
Likes high risk/high return trade offs
YES! GAME HARD! >:D
If a PC gamer, likes FPS and RTS, also MMO
SOUNDS LIKE tf2
Prefers Xbox 360 for consoles
LIES! PS3 FTW!
Prefers PSP for handhelds
DSI IS THE BEST
Often single
WAIT... GIRLS ARE REAL? :o
Lacks endurance for Wii sports games
NOPE! KICKING YOUR VIRTUAL ASS!

I'm a little of both.
So what makes a person an elite games is getting an Xbox or PSP.....what does that have anything to do with it.
I've got a PS3 and lots of time for gaming, I just don't game much since I'm more a like gamer.
I don't play FPS because....I just don't like it.
Gamers just game for fun.
If you game to try to prove your "Manhood" and stuff....then....at least "I" think you need to get a life.

Hardcore gamers will tend to read strategy guides a lot more than causal players who will just play the game.

Hardcore players do not clear games quickly and instead focus on getting 100% completion. However, elite player do play at a fast pace, this is necessary in any competitive game.

Elite gamers do not like complicated controls, they like efficient controls... aka bumper jumper setting in Halo 3.

They, technically, do not buy their games release day, but instead pre-order it months ahead.

Lol no hardcore gamers uses magazines, all the best and newest info comes from internet forums.

Hardcore gamers will usually pay full price for their games of choice, but will often pirate or buy other games at discount.

No one likes load times...

Yes, gamers like games HUGE revelation.

No most gamers want girlfriends in RL and not virtual. Some just settle for virtual.

At this point it comes as no surprise that Japanese developers have no clue as their target audience. Western developers have overshadowed them by far this console gen and I can only foresee this gap widening if these horrendous assumptions continue to prevail.

Elite, with the exception of loading screens, I fucking hate long loading screens, and the "buys on release day" which I can never do even if I want to, because every games comes a few days later where I live, compared to the rest of the places.

Game Elite Tendency Light Gamer
Strategy- Likes reading hint books whilst playing
Likes to clear games quickly -Time
Likes to play at their own pace -Time
Control - Complex controls = boring
Buys on release day - Purchase
Info - Friends
Budget - Buys normally if they can’t get it for free
Excitedly waits through loading - Loading
Interests - Interested in games amongst other things
Must play to be satisfied - Play
Love - Real

Game Elite:

If a PC gamer, likes FPS and RTS,
Prefers PS2 for consoles
Prefers PSP for handhelds
Married

(e) Enjoys strategising themselves
(l) Doesn’t like to play under time constraints
(e) Likes to play at their own pace
(?) Doesn't care about controls
(l) Buys when free to do so
(?) Internet
(l) Buys normally if they can’t get it for free
(?) I don't think anyone excitedly waits through loading
(e) Likes games (also anime and comics)
(e) Must play to be satisfied
(l) Real

For fun, I took a tally according to the chart. If I'm right I should fall between Elite and Light. The description's not so accurate though. The only thing that applies to me is "Has played eighties games" and I do like MMOs but I'm not fanatical about them. I'll play if it looks fun though.

In my experience there's about 4 gamer types.
The 'lightweight' (female casuals) ones, yes.
The 'elite' too, but also arcade/versus type gamers (fighting, fps, shmups).
Then there's also the solitaire/sore-loser gamers who hate being beaten simply because somebody is better at it, not because somebody has spent more time to get good equipment (MMORPGs pvp for example). They tend to avoid good versus games mostly because they have to invest time to get good at it, not being equally good against the opponents from the get-go as they progress.
It's like liberals vs. socialists I suppose, and most of all what the flying fuck is virtual love to begin with are they hinting every half-decent gamer is obsessed with Loveplus? My friend and me both have girlfriends, and he's like a near full-time gamer.

Also there's too fucking many of you socialist gamers here, man up and play some real games.

Agreed, there are many who pick up popular games like Left 4 Dead and have a habit of rage quitting whenever things don't go their way. Generally they expect to win no matter what they do or always getting the good equipment (or the tank). Sad to say that there are too many people that play like every FPS is counterstrike these days. There is something called teamwork, yknow...

Sadly, am not the hardcore gamer i use to be, i remember spending hours playing a video game now adays I hardly even load the ones on my PC but when i do play a game am interested in i get way into it.

Strategy: Well, I like to try my own attempts to problems, but when the Barrel of Doom rears its ugly head, I'll be looking at the hint books.
Time: Don't care how long it takes. I like to play at my own pace, but not too hard.
Control: Prefer a 6-button layout to a 4-button or 3-button layout, but please don't send in controls like Batman Forever on SNES. That's too much.
Purchase: I hate Gamestop. They force you to preorder if you want everything. I can't bring myself to play Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 knowing that I'm missing out on a character. Because of Gamestop being annoying and not understanding the value of trading cards, I have to preorder from them a lot, so I usually get it on release day. Otherwise, I simply buy it when I have the chance.
Info: Usually I look at gaming magazines for my info. I also follow the dev progress on the web for certain games, like Marvel VS Capcom 3.
Budget: Oh, this is a no-brainer, just get it when it's cheaper. Unless the price is already good. (Super Street Fighter IV at $40 even when the original was $60? Count me in!)
Loading: Even now I have problems getting through Sonic 06. Long load times really turn me off. Not that I won't play the game, but still...
Interests: I don't really consider myself gaming only. I have a wide range of tastes.
Play: I like the fun of playing games, but if I can't go farther, then I'll gladly watch others play.
Love: Still looking for the one for me. It's not a virtual bride, lemme tell ya.
OVERALL: I'm no professional gamer, but I know a thing or two on how to play.

Mysterious Voice: "Yeah, someone needs a major personality overhaul. And another thing, Artefact, you did it wrong. The hardcore prefer the PS3. It's the stupid kids who don't know any better that prefer the 360. Give me one reason why I shouldn't shoot you. Better yet, go shoot yourself."

Oh yeah? Let's see you play better!

Mysterious Voice: "It's too much fun watching you fail and curse your head off. No thanks."

Time-Doesn’t like to play under time constraints/Likes to play at their own pace

Control-Complex controls = boring

Purchase-Buys when free to do so

Info-Game magazines/Friends

Budget-Discount stores or Amazon/Buys normally if they can’t get it for free

Loading-Excitedly waits through loading

Interests-Likes games (also anime)/Interested in games amongst other things

Play-Must play to be satisfied

Love-Real

and the "Likes high risk/high return trade offs"/"Prefers PSP for handhelds"/"Often single" are the only elite catagories below the chart that fit me the rest don't though (as i want a PS3! not a 360 ^.^)